Harness for cross weaving



3,058,495 HARNESS FGR CROSS WEAVENG John J. Kanfmann, Jenlrintown, Pa, assignor to Steel Heddle Manufacturing Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Nov. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 67 ,660 Claims. (Cl. 139-51) This invention relates to harness for cross weaving, that is to harness for use in the methods of weaving variously known as cross weaving, doup weaving or gauze weaving, in which the warp threads are arranged in pairs crossed and twisted about each other at as many points in the shed as may be desirable, either for a succession of picks or for single picks arranged according to a pattern or design to be produced.

In my prior US. patent, No. 1,037,151, there is illustrated a harness for cross weaving which is made of thin fiat strips of metal which has been very extensively used.

Operating problems have arisen from time to time with particular relation to the mounting of the ends of the lifting heddles to insure avoidance of undue or improperly distributed stresses, the avoidance of interference or interengagement of the heddles in one frame with those of adjoining frames, and which facilitates the free movement of the heddles along their supporting bars to accommodate the positions of the heddles to those of the warp threads.

The present invention relates particularly to improvements in the mounting of the lifting heddles employed in cross weaving harness of the type made from thin flat strips of metal.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide flat metal harness for cross weaving in which the lifting heddles have an improved mounting at their upper and lower ends whereby a better distribution of stresses is obtained, which prevents catching or binding, particularly at the lower ends of the heddles, which permits free movement of the lifting heddles on their heddle bars and which provides bearing or rubbing parts.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide improvements in the lifting heddles of cross weaving harness which are so constructed and arranged to permit easy initial mounting of the lifting heddles on their top and bottom supporting bars.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide improvements in the lifting heddles "of cross weaving harness which are so constructed and arranged as to permit mounting of repair or inserted lifting heddles if desired.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide improved harness for cross weaving with which a better woven product is obtained than heretofore.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FIGURE l is a vertical elevational view of one set of heddles for controlling a pair of warp ends in loom harness for cross Weaving in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the heddles in shifted operative relationship;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view showing one form of connection between the top rail of the harness frame and the upper heddle supporting bar carried therein;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing one form of connection between the bottom rail of the harness 3fi58fi5 Patented Oct. 16, 1962 frame and the lower heddle supporting bar carried therein;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view, enlarged, of the upper end of one of the lifting heddles showing the mounting thereof;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the upper end of the heddle shown in FIG. 5 as seen from the left;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view, enlarged, of the lower end of one of the lifting heddles showing the mounting thereof; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view of the lower end of the heddle shown in FIG. 7 as seen from the left.

It should, of course, be understood that the description I and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, cross weaving harness inaccordance with the invention is shown and includes a pair of heddle frames 10 and 10a which may each comprise top and bottom rails 11 and 12 connected at their ends by struts 13. Upper and lower heddle supporting roads 14 are provided, made of strips of flat bar metal and extend from end to end of each of the frames 10 and 10a inwardly of the rails 11 and 12. Each of the heddle supporting rods 14 is supported at its ends in any desired manner. I

The upper and lower heddle supporting rods 14, at spaced locations intermediate their ends are supported in any desired manner (see FIGS. 3 and 4), such for example as by plates 19 secured to the heddle rods 14 by means of rivets 20 and with interposed spacers 2 1. The plates 19 are preferably adjustably mounted with respect to the top and bottom rails 11 and 12 by bolt members 22 secured at one end to the plates 19. The bolt members 22 may be provided at the other ends with threaded portions 23' engaged by a complementary sleeve 24 having a flange 24a confined between plate members 25 and 26 mounted on the outer margins of the. top and bottom rails 11 and 12 and held by bolts 27 which clamp the flange 24a at an adjusted position.

In the harness in accordance with the present invention, and as shown more particularly in FIGS. 2 to 7, in elusive, there are provided, in each set of heddles, a doup heddle or needle 30", and a pair of lifting heddles 31 and 32, each in many respects similar to those shown in my aforementioned Letters Patent.

The doup heddle 30 is preferably made by punching or stamping the same from athin fiat strip of metal, and has at one endyan eye portion 35 lying in a single plane, and in which the eye 36 for the controlling of the doup warp 37 is located. The outer margin 3S'of the eye end 35 or the doup heddle 30 is preferably flat. Depending downwardly from the eye end 35 of the doup heddle are two legs 40 which terminate at their lower extremities in enlarged portions 41 each of which is provided with a mortise or slot 42 for the passage therethrough, on face of the harness, of a bar or rod 43 for the return of the doup heddles 30 to the neutral location in the ordinary and well known manner.

There are provided, for each set of heddles, two guide or lifting heddles 31 and 32 each of which is made of two flat strips of metal or wire 47 and 48 connected in any desired manner such as by welded bosses 49 at their central portions, as shown in US. Patent No. 2,913,013. The connections at 49, at the central portions each provides a seat for the inner under margin 38 of the eye portion 35 of the doup heddle 30, the arrangement being such that when either lifting heddle 31 or 32 is raised above the neutral position it will take with it the doup needle 30 and thereby raise the doup warp 37 above the standard warp 44 according to which the lifting heddle 31 or 32 is raised.

The lifting heddles 31 and 32 above their central portions, have portions 50 bent or offset out of a straight longitudinal extension and portions 51 which extend upwardly in substantially parallel relation, as shown more particularly in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

The upper end portions 52 of each of the composite lifting heddles 31 and 32 are preferably of greater Width than the portions of the heddles immediately therebelow to permit of punching out an upper eye slot 53 for mounting the heddle on the upper heddle rods 14. One side thereof is cut away as at 55, substantially midway of the slot 53, providing a side opening at each upper eye, so that when the heddles 31 and 32 are slid sidewise on the rods 14 they will pass freely without being obstructed by the spacing members which include the plates 19, the bolt members 22 and intermediate components which are disposed between the heddle rods 14 and the top rails 11 of each of the harness frames 10 and 13a.

By this arrangement there is provided at each upper end portion of each lifting heddle 31 and 32 a solid strip 60 which extends over one face of the heddle rod 14 and fingers 61 on the other side of the heddle rod 14 which engage the other face of the heddle rod 14. The strips 60 are preferably bent or bowed as at 62 (see FIG. and as seen from the edge of the heddles 31 and 32. The cutaway portions or side openings 55 in each pair of harness frames and 10a are in facing relation which permits of a better character of mounting of the upper ends of the heddles 31 and 32 on the heddle rods 14 while also accommodating the bent or offset portions 50.

The lower end portions 63 of each of the composite lifting heddles 31 and 32 are preferably of greater width than the portions of the heddles 31 and 32 immediately thereabove to permit of punching out a lower eye slot 64 for mounting the heddles on the lower heddle rods 14. One side thereof is cut away as at 66, substantially midway of the slot 64, providing a side opening at each lower eye, so that when the heddles 31 and 32 are slid sidewise on the rods 14 they will pass freely without being obstructed by the spacing members which include the plates 19, the bolt members 22 and intermediate components which are disposed between the lower heddle rods 14 and the bottom rails 12 of the harness frames 10 and 10a.

The strips 47 and 48 of which the lifting heddles 31 and 32 are made can be connected at the top by welds 46.

By this arrangement here is provided at each lower end portion of each lifting heddle 31 and 32, a solid strip 67. The solid strip 67 extends over one face of the heddle rod 14 and fingers 68 are provided on the other side of the heddle rod 14 which engage the other face of the heddle rod 14 (see FIG. 7).

The strips 67 are preferably bent or bowed as at 69 and as seen from the edge of the heddles 31 and 32 thus providing contiguous rubbing or fending surfaces which prevent catching or engagement of the lower ends of the lifting heddles 31 or 32 with each other. The cutaway portions or side openings 66 are facing away from each other which permits of a better character of mounting of the lower ends of the heddles 31 and 32 on the lower heddle rods 14 while also accommodating the bent or offset portions 50.

With the upwardly extending portions 51 disposed in parallel relation above the offsets 50, as pointed out above, and thus offset outwardly with respect to central vertical planes through the harness frames, and with the cutaway portions or side openings 55 in facing relation, and with the strips 67 above the bowed portions 69 also disposed in parallel relation but more closely spaced and offset inwardly with respect to central vertical planes through the harness frames, and with the cutaway portions or side openings 66 facing away from each other, the lower rods 14 are more closely spaced than the upper rods 14, as will be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

It will be seen that by the foregoing arrangement the lifting heddles 31 and 32 are supported at their ends for free movement along the upper and lower heddle supporting rods 14, that the offset portions 50 of the lifting heddles 31 and 32 are accommodated without increase in the thickness of the harness frames 10 and 10a, and with substantially linear application of force at the rods 14, and that both the upper and the lower ends of the lifting heddles 31 and 32 are free from any likelihood of catching or interfering with each other in the use of the harness for cross weaving and have edge surfaces which serve as bearing surfaces and fending surfaces.

Additional lifting heddles 31 and 32 as repair or re placement units can also be applied, without disassembly or removal of the other lifting heddles 31 and 32, to the heddle rods 14. This can be accomplished by springing the fingers 61 at the upper eye slot 53 and by springing the fingers 68 at the lower eye slot 64 to permit the desired application to the heddle rods 14.

I claim:

1. Loom harness for cross weaving comprising a plurality of harness frames having upper and lower heddle supporting bars mounted therein, said upper heddle supporting bars being offset outwardly and said lower heddle supporting bars being offset inwardly with respect to central vertical planes through the harness frames, connectors for said heddle supporting bars in said frames intermediate the ends of said bars, a pair of lifting heddles, a doup needle comprising a thin flat piece of metal having an eye portion through which the doup warp extends and two legs extending downwardly therefrom, each of said lifting heddles having a seat for engaging the eye portion of the doup needle, each of said lifting heddles having an upward extension above said seat, the upper ends of said lifting heddles being in separated relationship, and the lower ends of said lifting heddles being in more closely spaced relationship, the upper and lower ends of said lifting heddles each having rod engaging slots with side openings for free movement along said heddle supporting bars past said connectors.

22. Loom harness for cross weaving as defined in claim 1 in which the side openings of the rod engaging slots at the upper ends of the lifting heddles are faced inwardly toward each other.

3. Loom harness for cross weaving as defined in claim 1 in which the side openings of the rod engaging slots at the lower ends of the lifting heddles are faced outwardly in opposite directions.

4. Loom harness for cross weaving as defined in claim 1 in which the side openings of the rod engaging slots at the upper ends of the lifting heddles are faced inwardly toward each other and in which the side openings of the rod engaging slots at the lower ends of the lifting heddles are faced outwardly in opposite directions.

5. Loom harness for cross weaving as defined in claim 1 in which the rod engaging slots opposite the side openings have solid portions offset out of the main planes of the ends.

6. Loom harness for cross weaving comprising a plurality of harness frames having upper and lower rails and upper and lower heddle supporting bars mounted in each of said frames, said upper heddle supporting bars being offset outwardly and said lower heddle supporting bars being offset inwardly with respect to central vertical planes through the harness frames, connectors for said heddle supporting bars in said frames intermediate the ends of the bars and between said rails and said bars, a pair of lifting heddles, a doup needle comprising a thin flat piece of metal having an eye portion through which the doup warp extends and two legs extending downwardly therefrom, each of said lifting heddles having a heat for engaging the eye portion of the doup needle, each of said lifting heddles having an upward extension above said seat and being offset above said extension and thence extending vertically upward in separated relationship to their upper end portions thereby providing a space through which the standard warp extends and in which the crossing of the warps occurs, the upper and lower ends of said lifting heddles each having rod engaging slots with side openings for free movement along said heddle supporting bars past said connectors, the upper ends of said lifting heddles being more widely spaced than the lower ends, the connectors at the upper portions of said frames having portions disposed between the upper ends of the lifting heddles extending to the upper heddle supporting bars and the connectors at the lower portions of said frames having portions extending outside the lower ends of the lifting heddles extending to the lower heddle supporting bars.

7. Loorn harness for cross weaving as defined in claim 6 in which the side openings of the rod engaging slots at the upper ends of the lifting heddles are faced inwardly toward each other.

8. Loom harness for cross weaving as defined in claim 6 in which the side openings of the rod engaging slots at the lower ends of the lifting heddles are faced outwardly in opposite directions.

9. Loom harness for cross weaving as defined in claim 6 in which the side openings of the rod engaging slots at the upper ends of the lifting heddles are faced inwardly toward each other and in which the side openings of the rod engaging slots at the lower ends of the lifting heddles are faced outwardly in opposite directions.

10. Loom harness for cross weaving as defined in claim 6 in which the rod engaging slots opposite the side openings have solid portions offset out of the main planes of the ends.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,511,184 Stafford Oct. 7, 1924 2,478,157 Kaufmann Aug. 2, 1949 2,608,216 Kauflmann Aug. 26, 1952 2,623,547 Galaher Dec. 30, 1952 

